The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-17
THE COMING ECLIPSE.
Where 1t VIII He Observed and What Re-
suits Are Expected.

Where 1t Will Be Observed and What Re-
suits Are Expected.
New York Graphic.
A phenomenon, which is regarded by astron-
omers and PHI steal scientists as being of the ut
most Importance to the scientific world as likely
TO set number of theories at rest, will occur on
Aug 10. Parties of astronomers, photographers
and spectroscopsts from national and private
ooservatories throughout Europe and the United
States will eagerly watch at various locall-
ties for the solar eclipse occurring the date
above mentioned. The following interesting ac-
count of the event was obtained from Professor
George Davidson of the United States Coast
Survey:
The total solar eclipse of Aug. 10 is visible
from the eastern part Of Europe. through the
whole of Asia. across the Pacific ocean half way
between Japan and the Sandwich Islands. The
the he'd sea- the Persian gulf the head of the
Bay of Bengal, between Borneo and the Phil
lppine islands. the northern limit be-
ing the north pole. The path of the
totalty is about one hundred and twenty
five miles wide, and this phase begins just
west of Berlin, which it envelopes; passes about
sixteen miles north of Moscow, and thence
through the southern part of Siberia, across
japan, embracing Toxic twhere the United
States observers are to be stationed and so on
to the Pacific ocean as far as the little island of
Rico de Orc. latitude 80 degrees north and l5I
degrees east longitude. This little island is dl-
rectly in the midst of the path.
On the earth the eclipse commences at 3:03:O5
Greenwich mean time, in the northeasternmost
part of the Mediterranean sea. The last point of
contact is among the Caroline group of islands,
latitude 10 degrees north, the total duration
being four hours, ffty-six minutes. four seconds
The length of the total phase varies from two
minutes. twenty-one seconds to three minutes.
forty-eght seconds.
In the longitude of Moscow the length OF to-
tally will be two minutes thrtytwo seconds;
but in Siberia. in latitude 81 degrees and longi-
tude 141 degrees, the length will be three mi n
utes. fortv-eieht seconds, while in Japan the
time will be three minutes, ten seconds. In the
Siberian path the light Of the will be only 16
or IL deerees-an unfavorable condition.
Toxic In Japan, offers superior advantages
over any locality in the Russian path that is
cessible. because the sun at that place will be
about sc degrees high and the duration twenty
to twenty five seconds longer. It is, therefore,
the best point that could have been selected by
the United States for observing. and may
look for valuable results, weather permitting.
The length Of the total phase is about the av
erage time of the phenomena, as they range from
nothing to seven minutes In these few minutes
the Russian French, German English American
and Japanese parties. their respective stations,
hope to be able to solve some Of the delicate
questions in the suns corona. There decided
value in the line traversed by the eclipse. tele
graph wires in the path, and if the wires
absolutely available. the western station observ-
ers, being the earlier ones, send forward to
their eastern collaborateurs what they have seen,
what they have missed and what is needed for
confirmation.
of Dartmouth, where he earned his fame, has, in
a recent paper upon astronomical work, of the
last decade, told what has been done and
what hope may be done this and subSe
Quen. occasions.
Those who observed all of the total
solar eclipses of the past eighteen years from
1869 to 1887, confirm the earlier observers who
had declared the phenomenon to be the most i'm
pressive scene in nature far exceeding the
glory of the greatest comets-at least those of
1S43, 1858, 1861 and 1882.
AS the black disc of the intercepting moon
moves slowly across the suns burning disc. the
light gradually decreases. but not so much as
one would suppose; at least, ones senses do not
admit that when the suns disc Is half hidden
there is much apparent loss of light
when three-fourths of the disc is obscured.
When the disc is decreased until the merest
narrow band of bright and living light IS visible
there is nothing around either body to call for
attention. The sky is blue, the stars have not
appeared and no one can predict the possible
changes that In a few seconds only must appear.
The last brilliant point of sunlight disappears and
suddenly the wonderful rose-colored flames burst
out far beyond the dark spherical body which
now hangs IN the heavens If we could almost
reach it. Far outside these red flames, which
are in broken masses here and there the cir
conference, the feecy, delicate white wisps of
the corona stream out from the suns disc mill
ions of miles
Near the body of the sun, for the depth of
100000 miles, the corona has moderately
depth but eyond this the texture and
regularity Is less than the most aerial cirrus
clouds.
A tendency to an equatorial extension is GER
tainly determined and a weakness of develop
ment in the polar regions. We with our
present means reach and study the chrome
sphere and the prominences of red flames, and
follow the cyclonic action of the red spots; but
this marvellous corona Is as yet inaccessible save
in a few precious seconds of a total eclipse. No
wonder expeditions for observing went to Alaska
in 1869, to Spain in 1870 to Colorado in 1873, to
the South Pacific in 1883, to Africa in 1886, not
to mention the solitary occurrence on coast
in $780,
There are hundreds of contingencies and acct.
dents likely to operate against success. Next to
the total observation By clouds is the haziness
and unsteadiness of our own atmosphere; the
dizziness of the observer in rapidly sketchng
certainty of what he sees, his constituencies of
vision coilectiveness of the whole phenomena
as to extension and relative tone and position.
It seems impossible to find two observers Civ
ing similar drawings of what must be
the same phenomenon. Even practiced observ
ers are apt to subordinate one phase to another,
and it is a notable fact that few observers have
sufficient facility as draughtsmen, or AS rapid
draughtsmen, to portray the features OF the
eclipse. They rarely do so, even If plenty of
time is afforded, as in watching comet
But this phenomenon has apparently exhibited
a wonderful power OF change in itself for the
latter observations of observers along the line of
totality for the developments of the corona at
the western station would differ much from the
at the eastern station.
1t is to study this almost infinitely expanded
solar appendage that the actual observers have
been hoping for satisfactory and conclusive
demonstrations at each total eclipse. Every
hopes, every one believes that he has made
:urate drawings as to shape and even as to color
to add to the conclusive evidence. Jansen has
been at work for years at Meydon, near Paris,
studying the Higgins thought he had
phi autographed corona in broad daylight, but was
satisfied that he had been mistaken after the
eclipse of last year.
Every effort will now be made. not only to
photograph this inscrutable envelope, but to de-
,ermine with the spectroscope and polariscope
.he characteristics of its constitution.
So far know moro definitely than few
years since that the corona is real solar ap-
1endage more expanded in the equatorial than in
he polar regions; that it an excessively atten-
lated envelope of gas and Intimately fine matter
Intensely luminous and taking shape according
20 the activity of the solar forces.
WHAT SENATOR FRYE SAW IN EUROPE
Poverty of the Masses-The Drink Evil in
Great acknowledgements Of the Armies.